Trends: Missing out won't be a bad thing in new year

Friday

Dec 27, 2013 at 12:01 AMDec 27, 2013 at 12:09 PM

NEW YORK - Forget about the fear of missing out. Next year, trend watcher JWT thinks, JOMO - the "joy of missing out" - will take deeper root in the mainstream. The predictions for the new year by the global advertising and marketing company center on a march to "mindful living," with more consumers actively trying to shut out distractions and focus on the moment.

NEW YORK — Forget about the fear of missing out.

Next year, trend watcher JWT thinks, JOMO — the “joy of missing out” — will take deeper root in the mainstream.

The predictions for the new year by the global advertising and marketing company center on a march to “mindful living,” with more consumers actively trying to shut out distractions and focus on the moment.

As trend reports often go, though, the latest is mixed: “Mindful living,” after all, is listed with “the age of impatience” in the JWT top 10 for 2014.

In the peace-of-mind department: the broadening of the “slow-food movement” to “slow”; the rise of digital detox, such as that of Camp Grounded in Anderson Valley of northern California; and the Silicon Valley infatuation with all things Zen, said Ann Mack, director of trend spotting for the company.

Google already offers employees meditation as part of a “Search Inside Yourself” course — along with regular silent “mindful” lunches.

And an application is meant for on-the-go meditators who are prompted to check in with themselves, Mack said.

The mind-calming, mind-blowing concept goes like this, according to Mack: “You’re enjoying what you’re doing in the here and now, and not on social media broadcasting or seeing what everybody else is doing.”

Mack credits tech blogger Anil Dash for coming up with JOMO when he realized that, after a month unplugged following the birth of his son, he happily hadn’t missed anything at all.

While some people work on their downward-facing dogs at yoga class, the on-demand economy will churn away in 2014, the JWT report said.

To satisfy the need for all things instant, binge viewing and same-hour delivery have bubbled up to satiate all age segments — especially hyper-

connected millennials who expect that things can be achieved, acquired and enjoyed with the help of mobile technology in real time.

Even they are pushing back some on how they perceive technology, Mack said.

“I think the real surprise is the fact that, as we get more immersed in technology, we’re starting to question its siren call, although we’re not resisting it entirely,” she said.

“There’s a Jekyll-and-Hyde quality that we speak about in raging against the machine. You know, we are still very much embracing it but resisting it simultaneously.

“Over the past several years, we’ve let technology rule us, and now we’re ready to rule it and find a balance in our lives because we realize technology is here to stay,” she said. “But it’s fundamentally changing our relationships, our behaviors, perhaps even our brains.”

Which leads to another JWT prediction: the rise of telepathic technology.

Brain-computer interfaces, or BCIs, will push further into the commercial mainstream next year, the report said. As traditional electroencephalogram systems that measure brain activity have been pared down, they’re no longer just the domain of health-care providers.

Applications at a lower cost have proliferated for commercial consumption, the report said.

A Silicon Valley company called NeuroSky is looking ahead, partnering with Mattel to create mind-powered toys, for example, while another company has come up with a headset that can read a wearer’s mood to provide the perfect playlist, according to the report.

Another trend is the idea of being proudly imperfect.

Blemished fruits and vegetables are touted as best over the waxed-up grocery type, and “ugly selfies” are the new selfies across social media as authenticity makes a comeback, Mack said.

Celebrities without makeup, books on imperfect parenting and the anti-Photoshop movement are leading the way, she added.

“Increasingly,” Mack said, “we’re not equating perfect with good, or good for us.”

Other JWT predictions for 2014:

• Immersive experiences: Nabbing the minds and attention of consumers will be an increasingly multi-sensory affair.

In New York, lines were hours long at the Museum of Modern Art for the chance to experience the Rain Room. Falling rain paused when a person approached. Watch next year for Oculus Rift, a virtual-reality headset that makes players feel as if they’re inside a game.

• Speaking visual: With the rise of photos, emojis and video snippets, “visual” has become a language of its own that savvy companies will embrace in a big way.

Taco Bell and the frozen yogurt chain 16 Handles have sent disappearing 10-second coupons and new product teasers using Snapchat, JWT said. And Sony took to Pinterest for “Pin It to Give It,” where the company donated a dollar to charity with every re-pin.

• The end of anonymity: Big Brother has technology on his side. Look for things to get even dicier at the store.

The snack-food behemoth Mondelez is testing a “smart shelf” with sensors to figure out the demographics of people choosing certain products and brands. A company called NEC has come up with a facial-recognition system, NeoFace, for salespeople to identify VIP customers.

Accessories are proliferating for people who don’t want their data mined.